Transferring mechanism for bottle-filling machines



Uct. 13, 1925.

u l. R. HIPPENMEYER.

TRANSFERRING MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE FILLING MAQHINES Filed April}, 1924 HHWWU,

Get. 13, 1925-,

l. R. HIPPENMEYYER TRANSFEfiRING MECI'IANISM FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES Filed April 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

IRVING R. BIPIBENMEYER, 0F WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR.T0 THE CREAMERY PACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 013 ILLINOIS.

TRANSFERRING MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINES.

Application filed April 3, 1924. Serial No. 703,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I IRVING R. HIPPEN- MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVaukegan, in the county of Lakeand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transferring Mechanism for Bottle-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Ihe invention relates to mechanism for transferring bottles from one conveyor to another conveyor in a bottle filling machine, and more particularly relates to the rotary pocketed-wheel type of suchmechanism.

In such mechanism, the bottles are conveyed into radial pockets in a revolving wheel, wherein the bottles are retained ,by an outer guide while they are carried through a portion of a revolution of the wheel and deposited on another conveyor operating in a different direction.

In the ordinary rigid constructlon of such wheels, it occasionally occurs that a bottle is engaged by the wheel before it is well within one of the pockets, and is thus caught between the outer points of the positively driven wheel and the stationary retaining guide, resulting in smashing the bottle or damaging the mechanism. 1

It is the object of this invention to provide a transferring mechanism in which a radially-pocketed positively driven wheel is provided with resiliently mounted bottle engaging devices, which, in the contingency of a bottle becoming jammed in the mechanism, give way sufliciently to pass around the bottle, and so permit the latter to enter properly the next successive pocket without disturbing the progress of the other bottles engaged I in the mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which I have selected for illustration herein. It will be understood, however, that various changes in form, construction and arrangement may be made by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a bottle filling machine of the type illustrated in the patent granted to S. W. Wilkinson, No. 1,171,996, issued February 15th, 1916, and in which my present invention is shown as incorporated.

Fig. 2' is an enlarged plan view of the transferring wheel mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the wheel taken along the broken line 3-3 in Fig. 2, and as seen in the direction of the indicating .darts.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the rotary conveying table in a bottle filling machine, which car ries a spaced series of bottle elevators 2 adapted to support the bottles positioned thereon and raise them into filling contact with a series of valves (not shown) positioned above the bottles and communicating with a revolving reservoir (not shown). A belt 3 conveys the supply of empty bottles to the machine. A pair of guides t and 5 diverts the bottles from the conveyor belt 3 partially over a stationary table 6 and directs them lnto the pockets '7 of the rotatmg transferring wheel 8. The latter preferably is positioned adjacent to the conveyor belt 3, the movement of the bottles across the intervening space over the table being accomplished by the pushing of the rearward bottles still resting on the conveyor belt. IVhen possible, it is preferable that a portion of the wheel mechanism overlie the beltso that the bottles receive a forward impulse from their continued partial engagement on the belt until they are positioned fully within the pockets 7 of the wheel.

As the bottles are successively engaged in the pockets of the transferring wheel, they are moved laterally around the table with the wheel, the bottles being retained in posi tion within the pockets by a concentric guide 9 secured to the table 6. The wheel 8 extends laterally over the rotary table 1, and the speeds of those parts are relatively so tuned that the. pockets 7 coincide in their w passage over the rotary table with the positions of the elevators 2, the top faces of the latter in their lowered positions being flush with the surface of the stationary table 6. The guide 9 terminates at 10 suitably to release the bottles from the wheel 8 when they are positioned successively on the ole vators 2. An opposite stationarily positioned guide 11 serves to guide the bottles out of the-pockets 7 and properly position them on the elevators.

It sometimes happens, as when a break ocours in the contacting succession ofbottles being delivered between the guides 24 and 5,

. guides and 9, obviously resulting in dam-= 'tle may be at rest spective bearings'17, and

tarded. In such instance the forward bot-. in such position as to be caught at diametrically opposite points between the approaching tooth 12 of the wheel 8 and the junction 13 of the stationary age unless the opposed parts are so constructed as to give way and shift the position of the engaged bottle. My present invention accomplishes the latter results.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, a driven shaft 14 extends upwardly through the table 6, carrying the rigidly mounted hub portion 15 of the wheel 8, from which extend the radial arms 16, rotatable above the table 6. The arms 16 terminate respectively in bearings .17 arranged in concentric relation to the shaft 14 and having vertical axes. Upon each of the bearings 17 supported a vertically pivoted bottle-engaging dog 18 extending outwardly from the arms 16. The dogs preferably are provided with spaced lateral flanges 19 embracing the repivotally secured by pins 20 mounted in the bearings and extending substantially above the upper flanges 19.

The dogs are resiliently maintained in normal outward position by means of springs 21, preferably supported on the upper extensions of the pins 20, each having One end secured in its associated ddg, as at 22, and the other end secured in a lug 23 formed on the adjacent portion of the arm 16, the springs being tensionedto swing the dogs outwardly. The outward swing of the dogs may be adjustably limited by means of set screws 24 mounted in the respective lugs 23 and providing adjustable stops for the inward movement of the heels of one of the supporting flanges 19 of each dog.

In normal position, the outer lateral faces of the dogs form the bottle receiving pockets 4 7 the rearward portion 25 of each dog cooperating with the forward portion 26 of the succeeding dog to receive the bottles from the conveyor 3 and propel them about the circuit within the retaining bar 9. Should a bottle be caught inthe mechanism as previously related, the obstruction to the movement of the engaged dog overcomes the tension of the spring 21 and the dog swings inwardly, passing about the side of the bottle without disturbing the uniform movement of the bottles engaged in the other pockets of the transferring wheel.

As the and the spring tensioned retracted dog,

passes laterally of the centered oint, the dog reacts to force the bottle out 0 its deadpoint of contact between the bottlefor a second approach to the wheel. I

I claim as m invention: In a bottle lling machine, bottle transferring mechanism comprising a revoluble wheel, a concentric series of bottle engaging members normally extending radially outward from said wheel and pivotall ,mounted thereon to swing in the plane 0 rotation of said wheel, the outer sides of said series of members normally presenting a substantially continuous lateral contour, each of said members having convex frontiand rear faces forming a bottle engaging pocket between each adjacent pair of members, and resilient means for normally" maintaining said members in outward position, sai

means permitting said members to swing inwardly and past a bottle engaged thereby in case of said bottle.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto' attached my signature.

obstruction to the passage of 

